Over the year + of blogging I’ve always heard various opinions about checking your blog stats. I try not to let stats discourage me and I truly blog from the ole h-e-a-r-t on a weekly basis so stats certainly do not drive me. I’d be lying if I said a high peak day doesn’t put a smile on my face – or when I exceed my “normal” amount of pageviews I feel excited. What I’m saying is stats are just that – they do not measure things like comments, retweets, emails and the like. No number can dictate how much joy I have when I connect with a reader or brainstorm for future collaborations.
I’d like to tell you a little story about how I accidentally checked up on my stats and go really, REALLY pumped. You see it goes a little something like this. I came home from work yesterday and started my usual routine of checking emails, responding to tweets and liking instagram pics. I logged into my blog and noticed my normal view of stats was hidden so I clicked [maybe one too many times...who knows] and wound up on a summary. Now, if you want a good laugh check your blog stats sometime. For example here are some searches that bring people to bedsidesign: “sea otter shower curtain” <—I wish, “easy gypsy tattoos” or this one “doppelgängers de batman.”
Back to the story. I noticed the usual places that were pulling in traffic – the social media outlets – but then something caught my eye…Apartment Therapy. For those of you who don’t know this about bedsidesign in the beginning I was EXTREMELY inspired by Apartment Therapy to create my blog. I still do reference it often for DIY projects, apartment tricks, and minimalist style. That’s why I did a double take. I’m certain at some point I have linked to them but this was showing that they linked to me. The blog post was titled, “Best Home Design & Inspiration Blog.”
I checked the post and all the way at the bottom there I was. I had no idea that this was even going on. People could nominate blogs for this category and vote on them. The voting is over and the blogs were selected, I was not one of the winners but I still had a “Holy *&$%” moment. I know it’s silly to be so excited about but to even be on the list is an honor. Plus people are finding my blog!
I know this is a little big off topic for my February month but I think it’s important to remember why I’m even doing this happiness project. Seeing my blog on a list with other seriously amazing blogs made me really stop and reflect on how flipping awesome this whole blogging saga is. Here’s to being bumped up & aware for 2014!
The moral of the story? Check those stats sometime – don’t be a slave to them but definitely check up from time to time.
How often do you check your stats?
P.S. This is a Happiness linkup. Be inspired by the other amazing bloggers and please check their blogs out & join the fun! You can join the conversation on twitter by using the hash-tag #behappylinkup
12 Responses to Why You Should Check Your Blog Stats
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Awesome! That’s the most exciting moment, when you realize you’re doing something right and you were doing it all along, that it was coming from a place of honesty and good intentions but it was recognized. I, too, feel guilty when I see myself focusing on the stats, but sometimes it’s just a little something-something to remind us we’re on the right track. As with anything in life, we need a little nudge to inch forward into the abyss of possibilities.
Thanks Kaleigh – you are so right that it is an exciting moment. I think as long as stats aren’t the only reason you are blogging they can really be useful. I love those little nudges that come along…nothing like a little incentive to move forward!
I don’t check my stats all that often and find that when I do I’m surprised. Some of the ways people get to the blog are amusing and strange. And, I’m always curious which posts get the most reads.
Yeah don’t even get me started on the posts that get the most reads. Well I’m already started ;) It usually surprises me which ones get the most hits and which ones just skim by. Glad to see I’m not the only one intrigued by that sort of thing!
That is so awesome that you were mentioned on Apartment Therapy! So happy for u lady! Unfortunately, I’m a regular stats stalker =P It’s not an obsessive compulsive thing, I actually use it to motivate me & see how far I’ve come since I first started. It’s amazing to see the stats from the beg of my blogging journey to now. But you’re right, there’s so much more to the numbers that aren’t being shown. You can have 2000 views on your page, but how long were each of those readers engaged in your page? Is your blog connected to google analytics…they give you all kinds of stats…down to engagement and demographics. It’s kinda awesome to see that people from different countries are reading my blog. Check it out, if u haven’t yet! xo
Louise you are too funny. I try not to be a stats stalker but now that I know it’s acceptable….;) But seriously, stats are super useful! I recently just hooked my blog up to google analytics – LOVE IT! It’s really cool to see where everyone is at with the demographics.
Thats awesome! I, too, got nominated for a blog award this week and it really made my day. It’s one of those things where you don’t think people are looking and reading your blog but you’re doing it anyway because it’s fun. And then you realize that someone out there really is reading it everyday and loves what you have to say enough to keep on coming back and spreading the word about you. It’s a great feeling for sure!
Aw Celestine – congrats to you!!! You totally hit the nail on the head. Knowing that I have an engaged readership is pretty much the thing that melts my little ole blogging heart.
I totally agree! Seeing where the traffic is much more important than the actual numbers. Nothing makes my day like when another blogger links to a post of mine.
Congrats on the feature! You totally deserve it and don’t forget to add that shiz to your press page :)
Totally feel the same Kristiina! I love it when people link back! And yes I’m in the process of creating a brag page (but I probably won’t be calling it that) and will put it on there!
Congratulations, Christie! That is absolutely wonderful, and isn’t silly at all! Apartment Therapy is really influential and it was most definitely an honor to be nominated. Think of all the actors who get to bill themselves as “Oscar nominated” even if they didn’t win. You are now and forever a Homies nominee! That is major stuff!
Thanks so much Catherine! Yeah I’m definitely excited that I was nominated! ;)